Gene Ubriaco
Encyclopedia
Eugene Stephen Ubriaco is a retired professional ice hockey
forward
who played three NHL
seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins
, Oakland Seals, and Chicago Black Hawks
.
gave him the chance to play pro with the newly formed Pittsburgh Penguins. He retired two seasons later in 1970 following 177 NHL games. Ubriaco recorded 39 goals and 35 assists for 74 career points.
. Ubriaco's 1988–1989 Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux
's 85 goals and 199 points, as well as Rob Brown's 115 points, finished second in the Patrick Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. In the 1989 playoffs, the Penguins swept the New York Rangers
before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers
in 7 games in the Patrick Division Finals. Ubriaco's Penguins then got off to a slow start in the 1989–1990 season. Ubriaco as well as the man who hired him, Penguins General Manager Tony Esposito
, were both fired and replaced by Craig Patrick
in December 1989.
Ubriaco coached the Italian
Olympic ice hockey team during the 1992 Winter Olympics
in Albertville, France. His coaching career then brought him to the then IHL's Chicago Wolves
, where he coached their inaugural 1994–1995 team. He currently holds the positions of Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations with the Wolves, now in the AHL.
On April 8, 2010, Ubriaco was part of the Mellon Arena final regular season game ceremony as one of five men in Penguins history to play for the Penguins and later coach them, sharing that distinction with Ken Schinkel, Lou Angotti, Rick Kehoe, and Ed Olczyk.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played three NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, Oakland Seals, and Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
.
NHL career
Ubriaco had played nine minor league seasons before the 1967 NHL Expansion1967 NHL expansion
The National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
gave him the chance to play pro with the newly formed Pittsburgh Penguins. He retired two seasons later in 1970 following 177 NHL games. Ubriaco recorded 39 goals and 35 assists for 74 career points.
Coaching
Ubriaco turned to coaching and was in charge of the Lake Superior state hockey program by 1972–1973. After coaching in a number of leagues, Ubriaco was named Pittsburgh Penguins coach in 1988, replacing Pierre CreamerPierre Creamer
Pierre Creamer is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. Creamer was head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1987–88 NHL season.-External links:...
. Ubriaco's 1988–1989 Penguins, led by Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
's 85 goals and 199 points, as well as Rob Brown's 115 points, finished second in the Patrick Division and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. In the 1989 playoffs, the Penguins swept the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 7 games in the Patrick Division Finals. Ubriaco's Penguins then got off to a slow start in the 1989–1990 season. Ubriaco as well as the man who hired him, Penguins General Manager Tony Esposito
Tony Esposito
For the Italian musician, please see Tony Esposito .Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style....
, were both fired and replaced by Craig Patrick
Craig Patrick
Craig Patrick is a former American hockey player, coach and general manager, the son of Lynn Patrick and the grandson of Lester Patrick...
in December 1989.
Ubriaco coached the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Olympic ice hockey team during the 1992 Winter Olympics
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
in Albertville, France. His coaching career then brought him to the then IHL's Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
, where he coached their inaugural 1994–1995 team. He currently holds the positions of Assistant General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations with the Wolves, now in the AHL.
On April 8, 2010, Ubriaco was part of the Mellon Arena final regular season game ceremony as one of five men in Penguins history to play for the Penguins and later coach them, sharing that distinction with Ken Schinkel, Lou Angotti, Rick Kehoe, and Ed Olczyk.